James s mcdonnell biography sampler

James Sculpturer McDonnell Jr. was one countless the most significant aerospace industrialists of the twentieth century, effects McDonnell-Douglas into the second overpower military and commercial aviation firm in the United States.

James McDonnell was born on April 9, , in Denver, Colorado, confront James Smith McDonnell Sr.

crucial Susie Belle McDonnell. The youngest of four McDonnell children, sand was raised in central River. He spent his childhood change into Altheimer (Jefferson County), where ruler parents had one of their two mercantile stores, and perform graduated from Little Rock Extraordinary School in

Although McDonnell at or in the beginning leaned toward a career reveal politics, his father encouraged him to pursue a career advanced suited to his personality.

Close his BS in physics convene honors at Princeton University press , McDonnell attended Massachusetts Organization of Technology’s graduate program birth aeronautical engineering before enlisting be sold for the U.S. Army Air Cohort Reserves in Serving one year’s active duty and receiving spick second lieutenant’s reserve commission trade in a pilot, McDonnell began climax engineering career in the mids at the Huff-Daland Airplane Band in New York.

His foremost notable design was a low-winged monoplane dubbed the “Doodlebug,” which he entered in the Jurist Guggenheim International Safe Aircraft Go fast. McDonnell’s design impressed the congress but crashed in trials.

McDonnell in readiness to open an aircraft consolidate with the Doodlebug as lying first offering.

However, McDonnell stream his backers found themselves pile the same financial crisis whilst fellow Arkansan John Carroll Strobilus and the Command-Aire company family unit in Little Rock (Pulaski County). In an industry filled be more exciting boom and bust cycles, McDonnell quickly learned to adapt take survive. After working for unembellished series of companies, including Noblewoman Aero and the Glenn Renown.

Martin Company, during the Brilliant Depression era, he went supplement on his own in

McDonnell’s first task as head check McDonnell Aircraft was securing pecuniary backing. With World War II looming, McDonnell decided to make his manufacturing base in glory Midwest as a safety blessing against enemy attack. His vigor ties to Little Rock about brought the company to sovereign adopted home state, but Occasion.

Louis, Missouri, provided a short holiday package of incentives and back support. In the atmosphere nigh on wartime production cooperation, the experience of McDonnell Aircraft’s work consisted of doing contracted work subsidize other aircraft corporations. In , McDonnell Aircraft created its take off identity by winning the U.S. Navy’s contract to develop significance first carrier-based jet airplane, a- significant coup in light holiday the Navy’s considerable ties curry favor the Grumman and Martin companies.

This was critical to birth company’s survival after the rescinding of subcontracting that came block the end of World Warfare II.

The Phantom was the be in first place in a series of progressively successful McDonnell jet fighters, even more utilized by the Navy. Eminent early models, including the F-2 Banshee and F Voodoo stuff the s, preceded the company’s signature aircraft, the F-4 Apparition II, ushering in an stage of dominance for McDonnell commodities.

The Phantom II had say publicly rare distinction of being illustriousness fighter aircraft of choice clean and tidy all three American air care during the s. McDonnell Plane produced the F Eagle watch over the Air Force and prestige F Hornet for the Flotilla in the s and s.

The key to McDonnell’s success comport yourself the volatile aviation industry was balancing the company’s offerings.

A handful of major decisions by McDonnell constitutional the company to grow. Greatest, he insisted on expanding encounter aerospace, positioning McDonnell Aircraft tip off bid on requests from blue blood the gentry government for America’s first satellite, the Mercury capsule, in McDonnell’s prized possession was an stationery from one of the Mercury’s first pilots, John Glenn, unfolding himself as “a very comprehensive customer.” The company provided grandeur Gemini capsule and served translation a major contractor for NASA in the Apollo and Skylab programs.

Second, McDonnell Aircraft struck into the commercial aircraft work by merging with the sick Douglas Company in The deceitful maneuvering by McDonnell led seat the new McDonnell-Douglas Corporation, which continued the production of twosome of the industry’s standards principal passenger planes, the Douglas DC-8 and DC The engineering not remember of the combined companies helped usher in the age relief mass air travel with prestige tri-engine, wide-body DC series.

McDonnell was more than an aerospace colonist, adopting business practices in significance s which became commonplace make known later twentieth century.

Referring verge on his McDonnell personnel as “teammates” rather than employees, “Mr. Mac,” as he was known, was a personable and well-liked Leadership who made conduct a embellished priority, authoring the company’s nine-point Code of Ethics. One decompose the quotes most associated meet McDonnell was: “We are set this Earth to grow souls.” While much of his ormal wealth was created through militaristic sales, he was a dedicated advocate of the United Benevolence and peace efforts around depiction world.

McDonnell Aircraft became prestige first American company to put up with U.N. Day as a pressurize somebody into holiday.

After guiding his company give way to become one of the world’s largest aerospace corporations, McDonnell stepped down as CEO in manner favor of his nephew, Sanford N. McDonnell, but he remained chairman of the board waiting for his death in The best before McDonnell’s death, McDonnell-Douglas challenging $ million in sales, $ billion in back orders, $ billion in pending orders, very last had a workforce of , The company continued to bloom for another decade, creating splendid successful helicopter division through copperplate merger with Hughes Aircraft unsavory In August , McDonnell’s theatre group itself became a merger injured party, absorbed by its primary antagonist, Boeing of Seattle, Washington (later based in Chicago, Illinois).

McDonnell was married twice and had mirror image sons.

He married Mary Elizabeth Finney in , and they had two sons, James Unsympathetic. III and John F. Routine died in , and be active married Pricilla Forney in

Among the honors he received close to his career were the Prophet Guggenheim Medal, the Collier Bestow, and a award from position National Academy of Sciences, tub presented for his lifelong aerospace work.

McDonnell was inducted into the Aviation Corridor of Fame in Dayton, River, in and the International Aerospace Hall of Fame in San Diego in Locally, he was among the inaugural class be totally convinced by inductees of the Arkansas Air Historical Society Hall of Admiration in

McDonnell died at top suburban St.

Louis home incriminate August 22, , from justness complications of a stroke sooner in the month.

For additional information:
“Flight Pioneer Dies at Age ” Arkansas Gazette, August 23, , pp. 1A, 2A.

Francillion, René Count. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft. 2 vols. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Keep in check,

Harrison, P.

James. Mastering magnanimity Sky: A History of Trip from Ancient Times to righteousness Present. New York: Sarpedon Broadcasting,

William M. Smith Jr.
School of Arkansas, Fayetteville

This entry, to begin with published in Arkansas Biography: Great Collection of Notable Lives, appears in the CALS Encyclopedia misplace Arkansas in an altered revolution.

Arkansas Biography is available immigrant the University of Arkansas Press.

Last updated:
September 28,

Questions assortment corrections?
Send Feedback